


New Girl

by UnkindledAsh



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: But only a dash, Fluff, Gen, I guess Link is only questioning here, Internalized Transphobia, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Jules (Legend of Zelda), Trans Link (Legend of Zelda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:40:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29401389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnkindledAsh/pseuds/UnkindledAsh
Summary: While at the market, Jules makes a new friend. Meanwhile Link asks the big questions. Questions like, "why does it feel so good when I get called a girl?" and "why DID my plan necessarily involve passing as a woman?"
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38





	New Girl

It was another exceedingly sunny day in Gerudo Town, just like all of them. Jules squinted up at the vast empty blueness above her and sighed. She missed rain. And snow, for that matter. Still, there were definite advantages to living in this small desert community. For one, nobody hassled her anymore. For two, well the food was just better here. She didn't realize how badly most Hylians underseasoned their food until she got here. Probably most importantly was that she finally made some friends. She sighed to clear her head and transition out of thoughts that could have gone upsetting places. She tried not to dwell on the past too much. Her stomach growled as if to pointedly remind her why she was up so early: The market. She had food at home but she wanted to make something special tonight as a little anniversary treat, which meant she had to get to the stalls early, particularly the fruit seller. It was hard to find some of the ingredients that were common back home but she was feeling nostalgic. 

Shortly after buying the last couple durians - _seriously how could they have already almost sold out? She thought_ \- she saw possibly the most nervous-looking Gerudo vai she'd ever seen. Or… wait a minute. The nervous woman's paleness and lost expression should have given it away, but she certainly had the musculature and scars of a seasoned Gerudo warrior. There was a new Hylian in town, thank the Goddess. It seemed like she was extremely new, because most Gerudo didn't bother with the formal face covering and the guards all wore thicker, more practical masks due to sand. God though, with a body like that why was she so nerv- oh. It hit her all at once what the situation was. She sighed, hoping that the rest of the ingredients she needed would be out later. She'd have to help this new girl before she got herself accidentally thrown out or worse.

Link felt a tap at his shoulder and turned to see a Hylian woman wearing an unseasonably warm-looking dress. "Hey, uh. You're new here, huh? Let me guess, you talked to Vilia on the way in? I swear ze is awful about talking to new arrivals." 

Link's blood ran cold. He felt like he was passing pretty well. What had given him away? He opened and closed his mouth silently, trying to find his words. Speaking would be extra hard for him since his inexperience with changing his natural voice meant he had to very consciously think about which muscles he used and how. Before he could say anything, the Hylian woman continued, "Look, why don't you come with me. I got thrown out the first time I came here as well and I'd hate to see it happen to someone else." 

She led Link off the main drag, past a jewelry shop with some nice earrings on sale, and around the corner to a tavern-looking place. She pushed past the bead curtain in the entryway and Link followed. The place was small and empty since it was midmorning. There was a pleasant smell of fruit on the air mixed with the pungent odor of some kind of strong alcohol. Why had this woman dragged her here? At this hour no less? The Gerudo woman behind the bar pointed a stern finger towards the entrance and said, "Goddess give me strength, Jules, you're not going to get drunk in here before noon. Get going if that's your plan."

"Furosa, come on, I'm not that bad," responded Jules with indignation. Link decided to politely not hear the conversation. He’d gotten used to not hearing conversations … uh… when? Well, he had a feeling he was used to it anyway. Maybe someone in his past got into a lot of arguments.

"I had to roll you out of here last time. I swear. How'd you even get home?"

"I live just down the street!"

"I know," responded Furosa with an unimpressed arm cross.

"Look. I just need to chat with someone in private and I knew I could also get a good meal at the same time. Promise." She nodded back at Link, "this one's new in town and I couldn't leave her to get tossed out by the guards. You know they're all super on edge after the Yiga stuff. It wouldn't be gentle."

Link began to raise his hand plaintively. He didn't want her giving the game away. Then Furosa sighed and responded, "Alright, fine. What do you want, you exhausting girl?"

"Mushroom omelette with hot peppers and a hydromelon juice pitcher and…" she looked appraisingly at Link before turning back to Furosa, "your signature dumplings. OH! And a banana crepe with a berry sauce to split."

"And are you planning on paying this time or is your tab going to continue to grow?" Replied Furosa dryly.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh. Hey, new girl, you've got some rupees on you, right?" Jules asked Link with a sheepish grin. Link slackened a little, defeated, and covered their bill twice over. He wanted to be in this terrifying bar owner's good graces. Jules led her to a table in the corner that was a little out of the way.

As they sat down, Jules' expression changed to be more concerned and sympathetic. "What's your name, then?"

"... Link," he replied, somewhat sheepishly. 

She considered for a brief moment before replying, "That's a pretty name. It suits you." 

Link felt a flutter deep down, just like when Vilia had said he looked cute. Like so many other uncomfortable feelings, he pushed it down before it could take root. 

Jules attempted to keep the conversation from dying by asking, "So what brings you here? I've got my guesses but…"

Link looked at her, considered telling the truth, then decided that the whole story would take way too long to explain even if she believed him. So she settled on, "There's something in the desert I have to do. It's a favor to an old friend."

"Ok, that wasn't one of my guesses. Why go to all the trouble if you were just heading for the desert? The oasis sells everything you need, pretty much. Why come into town? I mean, you dropped real rupees to get that outfit from Vilia."

"I…" Link was suddenly uncomfortable for some reason. As he shifted uncomfortably he was very aware of his shoulders. They weren't very broad objectively but they still felt massive. They were interrupted by Furosa dropping off their orders. It looked and smelled amazing. Link looked to her to express thanks and saw her expression carrying surprising softness. 

Between bites of omelette, Jules asked, "Hey so, I don't want to presume too much by asking but why did you want to visit the city so much? Most guys who try aren't uh… well they're not like you."

"What do you mean?" Link asked, confused. He knew he wasn't like other guys but surely…

As if reading his mind Jules responded, "Nobody's that curious. I mean, nobody drops that much money to blend in here, right? Not unless they… y'know." Link actually didn't know. And she seemed to read his confusion. "I've never met any guys who'd go to the extent of trying to pass as a woman to get in here, right? I know someone might insist otherwise, but trust me. No one puts in the effort of passing as a woman to visit Gerudo Town. The guys that want in want to be here as guys, yeah?"

"I have to meet someone here." Link replied quietly, unsure of himself. 

"Well, why not meet them as a guy? If it's as important as it seems, I wager they'd be happy to meet you outside the walls." 

"I… guess that was always an option, wasn't it?" Link replied after an uncomfortable pause.

"Well yeah. Like, your first plan really was just to waltz in and say hi? I mean, again, please tell me if I'm wrong, but do you even like being a guy?" 

Link again was speechless.

Jules, meanwhile, had had this conversation before and added, "Ok fine, tell me you don't want to be a girl. Those exact words."

Link was strangely anxious now. He began to say it but could only get to "be" before his throat closed around the phrase. He tried again, that time not even making it to "want". So he tried a third time and managed it but each word only got quieter until he was barely above a whisper. Every time he'd tried it, a small stab of anxiety had cut right through him. "It doesn't matter anyway," he said bitterly. "It's not like I can just choose something else. So it doesn't matter how I feel. Yeah, I don't really want to be a guy, but I am, so I have to make it work. I have to."

"Do you? I didn't." Jules replied quietly while anxiously twirling her hair. 

It took a few moments for the implication to hit Link, but when it did it was like a Lynel at full charge. "Wait but… how?"

"There are potions. I learned how to make medicine from my grandmother and found it in one of her books. Even then, I realized that I wasn't alone. I'm not the only person like this. And then I got here and realized that a community that men can't enter has a certain draw to people like us. My living here is almost a way to prove that I'm really… well..."

Link looked down in contemplation. He'd recovered the memory of having to wait outside the town when Zelda visited on official business. He'd known he watched her enter feeling strangely jealous. He'd miserably hung around with the other soldiers, growing more and more disgusted with the things they said.

"Um… Can you call me a girl again?" Link finally asked.

"Sure thing, new girl,” replied Jules with a grin. “And for the record, Gerudo fashion looks pretty good on you. Really accentuates your figure. Oh also, lemme see your face. Nobody else wears the veil so you’ll actually attract less attention if you take it off.” Link complied, now aware that he was blushing from the compliments. “Ok, on the one hand I get it. On the other, I literally can’t believe you were nervous. Goddess knows you’re prettier than I am and it just took a change of clothes!” And the blush now reached Link’s face and he had to bury his face in his hands to retain a shred of dignity.

“If you think you’re good here, I’m going to leave you to do whatever business you had and go see if they’ve still got any decent fish at the market. You should meet me here around sundown, by the way. I've got some friends that'd be delighted to meet you. Catch you later, new girl,” said Jules with a cheerful finality. Link still hadn’t tried the crepe, and so he quietly enjoyed his half while ruminating on what just happened. He realized that if he wanted to explore this feeling more, this would be a good opportunity to try new pronouns. 

_She_ decided to check out the accessory shop and see if they had anything that appealed to her before she went and met the Lady of the Gerudo.


End file.
